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  • Outgoing President's Message

     

    I concluded my December article with the following quote from the author Jim Collins as well as my thoughts about good educational leaders.

    “Level 5 leaders channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company (or school). It’s not that Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest. Indeed, they are incredibly ambitious – but their ambition is first and foremost for the institution, not for themselves.” Collins, Good to Great, page 31.

    Every good educational leader embodies these qualities. As an Association and as individuals, we need to cultivate those qualities in the next batch of leaders.

    The cultivation of those who come after us is a responsibility that we often overlook. I think it is particularly difficult in the environment of uncertainty regarding our positions. Clearly, the salary CAP regulations are having a negative effect of the longevity of school superintendents. The inability of our state leadership to deal with the looming sunset of the accountability regulations will further deepen the leadership crisis facing our schools. At times, it seems like we need a pending and predictable catastrophe to motivate any action. We need look no further than Atlantic City for an example.

    I am pleased to report that NJASA is not facing a crisis in leadership. Our organization does in fact cultivate new leaders. It is my pleasure to introduce our next generation.

     

    McCartney Dr. Scott McCartney is our Incoming President.

    On July 1, 2016, Scott will take the reins of the NJASA Presidency and the Moorestown Township Public Schools, Burlington County, as the district's chief education officer.

    Highly respected on the national, state, county and local educational levels, Scott represents New Jersey on the AASA National Governing Board. He is an agent-of-change who has the ability to challenge his colleagues and staff and utilize the collective creativity of all to find ways to thrive in the face of challenge. He was selected the 2015 NJASA Southern Regional Superintendent of the Year. Previously, he served as chief education officer of the Egg Harbor Township School District, Downe Township and Dennis Township. He began his educational career as an alternative school reading teacher in the Egg Harbor Township Middle School.

     

    Kuchar Dr. Michael Kuchar is our Incoming President-Elect. 

    Mike has served as chief education officer of the Bergenfield Public School District, Bergen County, for 11 years. With a combined 22 years of experience as a school district administrator (34 total in education,) he has also served as Bergenfield’s Director of Guidance/Testing, and Bergenfield High School’s Principal. Previously, he served as the High School Principal at Dobbs Ferry in Westchester County, an International Baccalaureate School.

    Highlighting his years as chief education officer are unique programs resulting from his commitment to acquiring alternative resources to implement an aggressive strategic plan. In doing so, he has provided administrative oversight for diverse grant-funded projects that have received national, state and local accolades.

     

    Greene Dr. G. Kennedy Greene is our Incoming Secretary.

    Ken has served as chief education officer of the Newton Public Schools, Sussex County, since 2009, following more than two decades as a school principal, classroom teacher, and athletic coach. He is President of the Sussex County Superintendents Roundtable Association and a member of the NJASA Legislative Committee. His peers have recognized him as the Sussex County Superintendent of the Year and the Warren County Administrator of the Year.

    He earned his Ed.D. in Educational Administration at Teachers College, Columbia University, and published an article on resource allocation and student achievement in the Journal of Education Finance.  He teaches courses on resource management and law and ethics at the Urban Principals Academy at Lehigh University.

     

    Rocco Dr. Scott Rocco is our Incoming Treasurer.

    Scott is currently in his third year as the chief education officer of the Spotswood Public Schools. He is an active member of the Middlesex County Association of School Administrators and serves as Vice President of the Association. He represents Middlesex County on the NJASA Executive Committee and is Co-Chair of the NJASA Technology Committee and NJASA Spring Conference Committee.

    A strong advocate of technology and social media in education, he is a founding organizer of EdCampNJ. He is engaged in educational social media to connect to, learn from, and collaborate with educators around the world. He is an adjunct professor for the Educational Leadership Graduate Program at The College of New Jersey.

     

    I am certain that these individuals will continue to lead our organization with “One Vision – One Voice.”